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TRANSCRIPT
Number 10 Downing Street in London is home to the UK Prime Minister.
Its human occupants have come and gone - including David Cameron -
“The British people have made a very clear decision to take a different path and as such I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction.”
And Theresa May -
“I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold - the second female prime minister, but certainly not the last.”
In more recent times it's been Rishi Sunak -
“I will shortly be seeing His Majesty the King to offer my resignation as Prime Minister to the country.”
- while Keir Starmer has just arrived.
“I have just returned from Buckingham Palace where I accepted an invitation from his Majesty the king to form the next government of this great nation.”
But one resident has just reached his 15th anniversary of residence: Larry the Cat.
Photographer Justin Ng says he arrived after being selected from the animal shelter, Battersea Dogs and Cats home.
“He's just there. It's like he owns the street. That was probably, what? 2011/2012, when he first came in.”
The tabby cat was recruited by then-Prime Minister David Cameron to solve a rat crisis at one of the world's most famous addresses.
The rescue cat has been a much-loved resident ever since, not least by the press camped outside the famous door.
The government website says Larry spends his days greeting guests, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality.
Larry is reportedly kept well away from the current Prime Minister Keir Starmer's family cats, JoJo and Prince, who inhabit the private family quarters, while Larry rules the working areas of Downing St.
He also had a volatile relationship with Palmerston, diplomatic top cat at the Foreign Office across the street from number 10, before Palmerston died in February in Bermuda, where he was serving as "feline relations consultant" to the governor.
Larry has been known to take a relaxed approach to his mousing duties - but he certainly makes himself available for photo ops.
“I think it's just that air of anticipation because we just don't know exactly what will happen, but we do know that he's great at photo bombing. So if there's a foreign leader that's about to visit, then we know he'll just come out at the exact moment that that meet and greet is about to happen - and it's happened many, many times.”
A case in point is Donald and Melania Trump.
Larry managed to sneak into the doorstep photo call when they visited then-Prime Minister Theresa May.
“He was actually on the windowsill when Mrs. May and Mr. May were ready to meet the Trumps and basically sleeping in the window. So a few of us shot a much wider shot of the Mays with the Trumps and with Larry just sleeping by the window, you know, just classic Larry. He doesn't care what's going on and it's just such an important occasion. And then you see he's just there, casual as always.'']]
All in all, Larry's resilience and diligence in his role has earned him a place in the hearts of the nation as Britain's favourite moggy and top cat of this most famous street.
The popularity of number 10's human occupants however is far less certain.
Keir Starmer has come under pressure in recent times to resign following a scandal involving the appointment of a US ambassador with ties to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
And yet, perhaps like Larry, Mr Starmer fancies himself being a resident for the long haul.
“I will never walk away from the mandate I was given to change this country. I will not walk away from the people that I am charged with fighting for.”
